Leader Dog Website Earns Gold Hermes Creative Award

Earlier this year, Leader Dogs for the Blind proudly launched a newly redesigned website built with accessibility, usability and engagement at its core. Today, we are excited to share that this work has been recognized with a Gold Hermes Creative Award, honoring excellence in website design and digital communications.

The Hermes Creative Awards, administered by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP), is one of the oldest and largest international competitions recognizing outstanding creative work in marketing, communications, digital media and web design. Receiving Gold recognition places Leader Dog among organizations and creative teams that have demonstrated exceptional achievement in digital experiences.

A Vision Worth Recognizing

The redesign project was more than a year in the making and involved thoughtful collaboration across our organization, alongside the expertise of our partners at Mightily and CUSP Creative. Together, we set out to create a website that would better serve our clients, volunteers, donors, supporters and community members.

From the beginning, our goals were clear:

• Enhance accessibility and user experience – ensuring all visitors can navigate and engage with the site easily.
• Strengthen and streamline navigation and content – helping visitors find the information they need quickly, whether they are learning about our programs, supporting our mission, or connecting with our team.
• Modernize design and technology – creating a contemporary, visually appealing experience that reflects the innovation and care at the heart of Leader Dogs for the Blind.
• Build a sustainable, flexible platform – giving our team the tools to maintain and update the website efficiently as our organization continues to grow.

Every page, form and feature was carefully planned, designed, tested and refined to ensure the website reflects the innovation, compassion and mission-driven work at the heart of Leader Dog.

Accessibility at the Center

A key focus throughout the redesign was creating a truly accessible experience for all visitors.

Working closely with Allyant, a recognized leader in digital accessibility, we conducted multiple audits and implemented best practices across the site. We also sought feedback directly from Leader Dog clients and Alumni Board members, whose insights helped shape the user experience and ensure the website meets the needs of those we serve.

The result is a modern digital platform that not only meets accessibility standards but strives to create an equitable online experience for everyone.

A Team Achievement

While the award recognizes our website, it is ultimately a celebration of the people behind it.

This achievement reflects the dedication, creativity and expertise of the Leader Dog team. Countless hours of planning, content development, design, testing and refinement helped bring this vision to life.

As the primary digital window into our organization, the website plays a critical role in helping people connect with our programs, services and mission. We are honored that industry professionals have recognized the care and effort invested in creating an experience that is both accessible and engaging.

Looking Ahead

Winning a Gold Hermes Creative Award is an exciting recognition, but it is also a reminder of our ongoing commitment to innovation and accessibility. As our organization continues to grow and evolve, we will continue improving and enhancing our digital experience to better serve everyone who visits our site.